Onion is one of the most used vegetables. They are delicious and healthy. However, some gardeners don’t have enough space to grow this amazing vegetable. Luckily, onion can be grown indoors in containers. In fact, growing onion indoors is easy and it is effective as it keeps away pests from attacking your plant. This article will provide you with all the required details and steps to learn how to grow onion indoors successfully.
1. Choose a proper variety
There are different varieties of onion and each variety has its own distinguishing taste. The taste is generally related to the onion’s color. Yellow onions are known to have a relatively sweet flavor. White onions are characterized by their sharp shape and tangy flavor. Red onions are the sweetest variety and they are frequently eaten fresh.
These varieties fall under two categories which are long day onions and short day onions. One the one hand, long day onions require at least 14 hours of sunlight exposure to grow and form bulbs. On the other hand, short day onions don’t need more than 12 hours of access to sunlight to thrive.
2. Planting from a seed or a bulb
Onion can be grown from seeds or bulbs. However, expert gardeners strongly suggest that you grow onion using bulbs as seeds are hard to grow. Bulbs are sturdier than seeds and they can tolerate poor condition. When buying onion bulbs to grow, ask for recommendations on bulbs that grow best in your zone.
You could also grow onions from seedlings. However, this method is not recommended because it does not guarantee successful growth and many gardeners fail to grow their onion using this method.
3. Choosing a container
Choosing an adequate container is vital for the successful growth of your onion. The container should vary between six and ten inches in depth. The deeper the container is, the bigger your onion will be. Deep containers allow your onions roots and bulbs to expand freely. You should also drill some drainage holes in your container, it is a crucial factor for a successful growth.
4. Soil quality
Onions require a nutrient-rich moist soil. A potting mix is an excellent choice. It is important that you don’t use soil from your garden no matter how good you believe it is. It is full of pests and diseases and it will harm your onions. For pH, onions don’t like to be grown in an extreme acidic soil. The pH level should vary between 6.5 and 7.5. These levels are acceptable for onions.
5. Planting
Planting onions should be done in spring. Dig a one to two inches hole in your soil and plant one single bulb in it. Be careful not to plant the bulb deeper than 2 inches because it may restrict and hinder its growth. Cover the bulb slightly with soil. You should leave a space of 4 to 6 inches in all directions between each hole. For seeds, 1 to 2 inches gap is enough.
6. Choosing an adequate location
Sunlight exposure is vital for growing onion indoors. Make sure to place the container in a spot where your onions receive at least 14 hours of sunlight daily. If you cannot provide such a spot for your onions, you should seriously consider getting grow lights. Fluorescent bulbs are the best artificial growing lights for onions.
7. Watering and fertilizing
Onions need regular watering. These vegetables are delicate and they don’t tolerate drought. They require at least two inches of water weekly. You could check whether or not your onions need watering by touching the top layer of soil. If it is dry, you should water your plants. In hot weathers, it is highly recommended that you water your onions daily on regular basis.
There is one trick you should keep in mind, watering contribute to the sweetness of the onion. More watering means a sweeter taste of your onions.
Onions don’t require fertilizing, but, you could occasionally apply a mixed fertilizer such as 10-20-10 or 0-20-0 to encourage the growth of your plants.
8. Harvesting
You could know whether your onions are fully ripe or not by the color of the tops. If the tops are golden yellow, this means you can start harvesting your plants. Harvesting onion is easy. All you need to do is to dig around your plants and remove them from the soil.
Once you remove your onions, clean the dirt off them and place them in a sunny spot where they can dry for the next 3 weeks. Then, your onions are ready to be eaten fresh or cooked. Either way, you will enjoy a fresh delicious taste.
Now you know how to grow onion indoors successfully, you should start growing this healthy vegetable as soon as possible. Make sure you grow a constant supply of this plant, you will definitely need it. You could also learn how to grow garlic and turmeric indoors. They are healthy, delicious and most of all easy to grow.
Enjoy eating your onions, I am pretty sure they are delicious.